Settle Trip early August - 4 nights/4 walks

Stay in Settle (or in surrounding villages if you have a car, or along the train line including in Leeds if you don’t mind the train journeys).

Order of Walks – Arrivals Day: the most ‘niche’ walk, which may not interest some people that are otherwise interested in the others. Sunday: the shortest of the walks (walking time, not length), as the first train in the morning leaves substantially later than Mon-Sat. Departure Day: the only walk that finishes in Settle and thus enables picking up any luggage after the walk and catching one of the last trains connecting to London. Which leaves the Saturday and the Ingleton walk otherwise unallocated.

Draft Schedule based on current train and bus timings:

Friday 08^th August:  SWC 436 Baugh Fell (Garsdale Circular) 

19.8 km (12.3 mi), with 536m ascent/descent, 8/10 (6/10 for length and ascent, but some pathless terrain and rough ground).  

08.50 train from Settle. Returns: about every 90 minutes. Picnic lunch.  

Remote hill in wild countryside with fine views. Some rough and pathless ground. Wild and lonely valleys. Return via Ure Force (waterfall). Several shortcut options, but nothing significant.

 

Saturday 09^th August:  SWC 439 Ingleborough via Ingleton (Ribblehead Circular)

24.3 km (15.1 mi), with 790m ascent/descent, 8/10.

08.50 train from Settle. Returns: about every 90 minutes. Pub lunch. 

Demanding walk across the fearsome Ingleborough and down to the tourist hotspot Ingleton. Return via a fascinating limestone plateau. A ridge walk, several shortcuts, an alternative ending and a (ticketed) Waterfalls Trail constitute the options.

 

Sunday 10^th August:  SWC 438 Whernside (Ribblehead Circular)

20.7 km (12.9 mi), with 592m ascent/descent, 6/10.

10.19 train from Settle. Returns: about every 90 minutes. Picnic lunch.

Onto Yorkshire's highest point along quiet back-of-the-hill route. Return through the limestone country of Chapel-le-Dale. Several shortcuts.

 

Monday 11^th August:  SWC 442 Fountains Fell and Catrigg Force (Horton to Settle)

From 24.4 km (15.2 mi) with 703/792m ascent/descent, 7/10.

08.50 train from Settle. Picnic lunch.

Easy exploration of a wild and remote fell. Return with views of green valleys and Malham Tarn, then Catrigg Force waterfall. Finish along elevated path above Ribblesdale. Minor shortcuts, one involving an infrequent bus.